Obama to sign bill expanding State Dept. rewards

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama will sign legislation Tuesday to expand the State Department's rewards for justice program, which targets the world's most serious human rights abusers.

African warlord Joseph Kony is a top target of the law, which passed Congress with bipartisan support. The State Department strongly backed the legislation.

The program, established in 1984, gives the secretary of state the authority to offer a reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction of anyone who plans, commits or attempts international terrorist acts.

The new law allows the State Department to publicize and pay rewards for information about individuals involved in transnational organized crime or foreign nationals wanted by any international criminal tribunal for war crimes or genocide.